On Tuesday evening, Israel bombed the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon: the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported at least 13 people killed and 4 injured. Israel claims the attack targeted Hamas training facilities at the camp, under the pretext that it is often used to carry out military operations that injure or kill dozens of civilians. Hamas denies having military facilities in Lebanese refugee camps.
Israel regularly attacks southern Lebanon, but usually in border areas between the two countries where it claims positions of Hezbollah, a Shiite political and military group allied to Hamas (both of which are supported by Iran). The affected camp is called Ein el Hilweh, has a population of around 60 thousand and is also located in the south of the country, near the city of Sidon, but far from the Israeli border. Palestinian refugee camps have existed for decades in the Palestinian territories and surrounding countries: they are less temporary structures and more like cities with streets and buildings, although they are often dilapidated, lacking basic infrastructure and extremely dangerous living conditions.
